Spain Bird Poop Scam is Real

Thanks for the warning...I'm about to go on my tour two weeks from tomorrow, and this could happen anywhere. Fyi the post title threw me off at first as it says scan versus scam. I thought there was something called a bird poop scanner out there.

I've been seeing stories about it online and a few posts on Trip Advisor mentioned it. Definitely something to be aware of if you are traveling to Spain.

A swarm of "helpful" citizens proceed to "wipe off" the mess. However, husband's gold necklace was unclasped and taken plus nice sunglasses on neck lanyard were taken...

Yet I chuckle at the people on the pickpocket threads who boast that nobody would ever be able to get a necklace or a watch off of them without them noticing, nor would any pickpocket be able to get into their backpack or crossbody bag...umm, don't be so sure about that, these thieves are pretty slick at what they do.

It's been reported here in France and other countries, too. Not specific to Spain by any means.

Happened to us last year outside the Dali Museum in Figueres, Spain, while waiting for our guides to park their van. I'd heard of this scam, but in the moment it actually happens, it's hard to react. A young couple was walking past us and suddenly there was wet stuff on us. By the time I realized the woman just "happened" to have wipes to help clean up, they'd probably already been through my wife's pockets and maybe mine. Luckily, we had absolutely nothing with us but our phones, which were intact and the couple quickly scurried away and disappeared when our guides came around the corner and started asking what had happened.

BTW: The wet stuff they'd squirted on us turned out to be some kind of water-based paint in a greenish color. We were able to wash up in the restroom and eventually got it out of our clothes but started our visit to the museum with damp shirts. Definitely the low, if memorable, point of an otherwise great day.

It's been reported here in France and other countries, too.

Several years ago, I witnessed this very scam being perpetrated on an older couple in the Champs du Mars park in front of the Eiffel Tower. I walked over and told the scammers to leave them alone, and the couple was grateful.

The crooks never stop. They always come up with new ideas ahead of the pack. How wonderful if they would use that negative energy to do good.

I would be immediately uncomfortable if a swarm of persons surrounded me wanting to help but I might get taken if only one or two persons offered to help..

I live in Austin TX and we have a lot of very huge music festivals and other happening like F 1.

Organized crime groups are coming in to attend the festivals and events but they are doing so to steal from honest attendees especially cell phones. Some of these groups are from outside of the United States and some from within.

The density of comparatively wealthy, befuddled foeigners--presumably with cash in their pockets--concentrated around a few very popular tourist attractions probably has something to do with it.

Barcelona, In particular, doesn't seem to have laws or sentencing guidelines that allow any significant punishment for serious repeat offenders. The focus is on fighting terrorism and violent crime. It's sort of hard to argue with that.

I was pickpocketed in Bulgaria in 2015. I figured it might not be a known problem in Veliko Tarnovo, and the perpetrators were slick (though I was careless), so I reported it. I was impressed by the police response. But I may well have been the day's only crime victim. I want to emphasize that the thieves were not Roma.

We have had this discussion many times and ends the same most times. We have been going to Europe since '72 and never had a problem with pickpockets. AND that proves absolutely nothing because we can always get hit on the next trip. The pickpocket -- causal theft, etc., -- is more common in Europe than the US. In the US if you are going to be robbed it probably will be a mugging with two or three people probably involving a knife or a gun or the threat of one. We do take normal, but not extreme, precautions and try not to advertise that we are an easy target. But am also 6-2" which gives me some ability to see over the crowd as to what is in front or behind. My 5-5" wife just sees other heads. And, in an earlier life with the government, I have had some training on how to observe a crowd and to assess what is around me and how to move through a crowd. After 50+ years it is still working.

For some thieving is a way of life.

Such scams seem to be happening everywhere that is a concern for all the tourists especially those who're visiting a place for the first time.

I just did a shopping run here at home. I had to summon a store clerk to unlock the toothpaste at a CVS drug store. As I walked home, I wondered whether the local food pantries also supply essentials like toothpaste. It's rather important to one's health.

I wondered whether the local food pantries also supply essentials like
toothpaste. It's rather important to one's health.

My husband and I both volunteer at a good-sized local food shelf that does have toothpaste (and toothbrushes, bar soap, shampoo, conditioner, tissues, adult and infant diapers, hand sanitizer, lotion, feminine hygiene products, wipes, etc) on hand when donated by either stores or generous community members. Pet food, too. We may not have toothpaste every day but more versus fewer of them.

We also get a good amount of the hotel-room guest products that people bring home from their trips. Those are nice for the bags staff puts together, along with food that doesn't have to be refrigerated or cooked, for our homeless community.

This pickpocket technique is based on distraction. Another method is to thrust a baby into someone’s hands suddenly. It is the suddenly part that is useful to the thieves.
How could you steal yourself to immediately guard your valuables? With the bird poop scam you do have to react to the stimulus, but with the baby scam you do NOT want to react.
What can you do? Well, you can be like Peter Sellers in the Pink Panther older movies whereby he has his housemate attack him at arbitrary times so he can be always ready.

Overall the best avoidance is an avoidance. But not always possible especially in this day and age of large and dense tourist crowds. However, remember that the thieves want to escape. So that is in their mind. Therefore they have to run, or pass off the pilfered items, or melt into the crowd. They think of that. That is why a pickpocket on a train will always position near the exit door. If you are seated at the end of the car, you have positioned yourself to avoid that guy. He wants to escape.

Because there is probably no actual physical threat from pickpockets, one should simply react to any disturbance around them by immediately clutching or feeling for their valuables. Immediately before any spontaneous reaction to bird poop or babies, or jostling. It has to be ingrained and immediate. If it is a distraction even that entails if your husband is pushed to the ground, you do not offer a hand or help until after you have clutched your valuables. Protection like this involves deprogramming the normal reactions we all would have to scam scenarios. The thieves know this, that is why it works. That is why it works even though you have heard of these scams.
So reprogram yourself.

Twenty years ago this happened to a friend of mine who had just arrived in Spain with his son, and both of their wallets were stolen without any awareness of what was happening. It’s an old trick.